


Unconditionally

by Kai517_TeenWriter



Category: Tangled (2010), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Forgiveness, Or the Kai517 Definition of 'Slow Burn', Redemption, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-06-30 11:13:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15750525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai517_TeenWriter/pseuds/Kai517_TeenWriter
Summary: When the crew arrives back in Corona, Cassandra is shocked to find that Varian's been freed and granted a full pardon.She wants absolutely nothing to do with him, but he's trying his hardest to get back into everyone's good graces... Even if it means spending excess time with the girl he had a big crush on long ago...Except maybe, it wasn't so long ago. And maybe he never stopped liking her.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This was one that I sat down and began writing on April 15 of this year. I wrote eight chapters for it so far-- the most recent one having been written on July 24-- and then I realized that I should post it here.  
> And I began to rewrite what I already had, so... It may take awhile to post and update.
> 
> And... Holy cow... Over 1,000 words for the prologue alone... Uh-oh.

The bitter cold at the prison was enough to make  _anyone_ shiver. And it only became worse if you get to thinking about what the prisoners could possibly have done to land them there. In fact, there had actually been a time when Varian had shuddered at the mere  _thought_ of such crimes happening at all, let alone somewhere near him. But, then again, he had done similar, if not  _worse_ things in his life.

What got to him, though, was the fact that people came to  _visit_ him. They braved the chill and the horrors just to see him. And they had reason, too. Every single visitor that he'd had during his time spent behind those cold, metal bars had come to mock him and taunt him, to shame him in some way or other.

He knew what he had done, and he had known that it was wrong. The shame and guilt he felt every time he thought of what he had done was unbearable; why did they think that he  _wanted_ to hear their opinions on the matter?

But this visitor... This man was different.

Marcus Pfeiffer was a man with wild white hair and kind grey eyes. Everything about him seemed friendly and... Not so judgmental. He was intelligent, too, one of the smartest men in all of Corona-- well, that's that everyone  _said_ ; Marcus was far too humble to say anything on the matter-- and his main passion was science.

In fact, he was one of Varian's role models-- of course, though, he managed to be tied with Flynn Rider for first-- as he had been since the alchemist was a really young boy. So imagine Varian's surprise when he looked up to see Marcus Pfeiffer himself standing just outside of his prison cell.

Marcus offered the teen a friendly smile as he pulled a stool up so that he could be closer to the cell. "Good evening. It's Varian, right?"

Varian just nodded, looking down at his lap.  _Of course he's here to berate me. And why shouldn't he?_

Still, though, Varian was thoroughly intrigued. Marcus Pfeiffer-- the biggest name in science, as far as he was concerned-- was  _here_. Visiting a young, failed alchemist. Sure, he was there because he probably had a bone to pick with Varian, but still...  _Why?_

"I've heard all about you, my boy," Marcus continued in a soft, warm voice, "all about your inventions and antics. I wasn't exactly there, but I've heard people talking about your invention at the Science Expo earlier this year."

Marcus stopped for a minute, allowing time for Varian to process what he had just said. That was a good thing, in all honesty, because the alchemist was having a hard time grappling with the concept that he wasn't being spoken down to... At least, not yet. He needed the time to take that in.

Finally, Marcus spoke again. "A new element? That's really impressive, Varian."

Varian quirked an eyebrow. "I... Thanks?"

"You're welcome, my boy."

"Okay... Why?"

It was Marcus's turn to look at Varian in confusion. "Why what?"

"Why are you talking to me like this? Why are you treating me like an  _equal_? Why not... Why not just say the mean things I know you're here to say and just leave already?"

"Mean things?" Marcus asked, shaking his head, "never! While I don't necessarily  _like_ what you did to the royal family, I don't believe that it's reason enough to be completely rude and disrespectful to someone."

Nobody had ever said anything like that to Varian. The idea that  _someone_ \-- even if it  _was_ only one person-- could hold such a belief... It amazed him.

"We're all people, Varian," he continued, "we're all human. Why should we condemn and put down when we've done bad things, too? Why should we judge someone when, in all reality, all they want is a chance, a chance to be heard... Much like many other people do?"

"Then... Why are you here?"

Marcus smiled at the alchemist. "I'm here to give you an opportunity, Varian. I feel like you and I.... I feel like we have a lot in common, my boy, and I also feel like we also have different insights and ideas to bring to the table. So what do you say?"

"What do I say to  _what?_ "

"What do you say to becoming my apprentice?"

Varian looked at him incredulously. "You're kidding."

But Marcus looked absolutely resolute. Varian looked to Ruddiger, who chittered and pawed at his human's knee.

 _Take it,_ the raccoon seemed to be saying,  _it's the opportunity of a lifetime!_

But Varian felt rather uncertain about this. He knew Marcus's stances now, but... Who was to say that everyone-- or  _anyone,_ really-- would feel the same way?

"I-- I'm going to have to consider it," Varian finally said, "that is, if you're okay with giving me time to..."

"Of course, Varian," Marcus smiled again, already standing to leave, "take all the time that you need."

* * *

"You asked for me?"

Varian nodded, standing to join Marcus near the metal bars. Two months had passed, two months full of Varian wondering if he should or shouldn't take up the offer. and then he realized that, sure, everyone wasn't going to be like Marcus. Nobody was just  _going_ to accept him back into society.

But, then again, nobody ever  _would_... Not if he stayed in this cell for the rest of his life. Besides, it would be nice to have someone on his side once again, even if it was just one person.

"I'm... I'm assuming that your offer still stands?" he asked quietly, "the one I said I'd consider?"

Marcus nodded. "Indeed it does."

Varian took a deep breath. "I have my answer, then."

"Oh?"

"And... I'm accepting. It would be an honor, honestly, to be your apprentice, sir."

Marcus smiled at the young alchemist. "Please, just call me Marcus."

Hearing this, Varian did something he hadn't done in what felt like  _ages:_ Varian smiled.


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know... I introduce a new Original Character and then BAM! He's gone. Maybe later, I'll write some stories about Marcus and Varian, but as for now...  
> In case you were wondering, though, I always just considered Marcus being the Shiro to Varian's Keith, if you get what I mean. XD  
> Also, I apologize for the little conflict here. It just... It just came.

"I expect that you've received the news?"

Varian looked down, unable to conceal his tears any longer, and unwilling to let King Frederic and Queen Arianna see them. Two and a half years had passed-- the young, awkward teenager was nearly an adult now-- yet he still felt rather vulnerable whenever he was in the same room as anyone who had been around all of those years ago. He never felt more weak than he did in the presence of the king or queen, though.

Frederic had offered to "help" him-- whatever  _that_ meant-- but Varian had declined. Arianna often sent down notes and goods for him, but he never responded. He hardly even bothered to look at the stuff she had sent him.

When he had become Marcus's apprentice, though, things began to change for Varian. He was able to spend a majority of each day outside of that stupid cell, instead performing experiments with Marcus. There were times where he was actually allowed to stay with Marcus and work until he was too tired to do anything more. (Often, he just passed out on Marcus's couch).

After a year under Marcus's watch, Varian had been partially pardoned. He was given a room near Marcus's-- which was  _extremely_ generous, considering the fact that Varian didn't deserve anything at all-- and a guard detail. The detail wasn't with him  _all_ the time-- thank heavens for that!-- but they  _did_ have to check in on him hourly, even when he was in the lab with Marcus.

And now, nothing much had changed.

Except for the fact that Marcus was gone now.

"Yes, sir," Varian said quietly, trying to keep his voice from wobbling, "I... I have received word of... Of Marcus's passing."

The room became silent, and Varian found it harder and harder to keep from crying. He had lost yet another loved one, someone he respected, someone who actually treated him like an equal. Marcus had been like a father to Varian, a wonderful mentor and friend. He had taught Varian everything that he knew, and he had allowed Varian to pitch his ideas, too.

There was nothing that had seemed  _wrong_ with Marcus: he had been his usual self, looking strong and capable and displaying his constant sense of joie de vivre and enthusiasm... But, then again, everyone's time must come to an end some way, somehow. Death doesn't pick and choose who it takes; death doesn't judge. It just takes people, often without rhyme or reason.

Varian's resolve broke and he let out a strangled sob, a sound that resonated throughout the room. He was absolutely tired, tired of losing the people he loved, tired of life itself.

The queen gave him a sympathetic look before speaking. "Varian, we know how much he meant to you. But it's time we discussed what shall happen in his absence."

"Pardon?"

Varian didn't want to think about moving on. Not right now, at least. He had just lost his mentor and friend, and he didn't want to just...  _Move on._

"You heard me," Arianna said gently, "as much as you miss him-- as much as we  _all_ miss him-- we must not stay in the past. While there are some fond memories and some lessons learned, we must not dwell on what has been. There's a whole future waiting, Varian, and--"

He shot a glare at her. "What are you trying to get at here? Are you saying that the lives of all of the people I have loved and lost-- Mom, Dad, Marcus-- are you saying that they don't matter?"

"No! Of course not."

Varian looked about to retort, to shoot back some clever yet scathing remark, but Frederic held up his hands, successfully silencing the two. He looked at Varian, seemingly daring the young man to make  _one more_ rude quip. And then he looked at his wife.

"Arianna, he's mourning," he murmured, "let's give him that. Give him the time to recover."

She complied, nodding before folding her hands in her lap and stepping back. Frederic looked at Varian again.

"As for you, young man, please don't fight with us. Arianna means well; there's no reason to get angry."

Varian glared but said nothing more. Frederic gave a curt nod, satisfied.

"Good. Now, back to what we were discussing earlier. We know it hurts, and we know that you, more than anyone else, need the time to get over the pain of this loss. But, as Arianna inferred earlier, time must move on, and us with it. As you know, Marcus's post was an important one, one that not many people could ever fill."

Varian nodded, already sensing where this was going. While other kingdoms had their magicians, sorcerers, and wizards, Corona had its scientists and alchemists. Not many people who were currently alive, though, could master the sciences in the same way that Marcus Pfeiffer could. Only one person had ever striven to succeed like Marcus had, and that person was the only person to ever succeed at it.

And that person was, of course, Varian.

Frederic looked down at the young man. "And, of course, you were his apprentice. You know the work, and I must say that you're doing a pretty good job of it, too. Arianna and I would like it if you could take over Marcus's work."

Silence. The king and queen awaited Varian's next words, but Varian's mind was going numb. He  _did_ know the job, sure-- heck, he knew it inside and out by now-- but... He also knew that memories of Marcus would come back; even the good ones would begin to haunt him. And it seemed kind of disrespectful to just take over someone's job almost as soon as they had passed.

As if she could sense what he was thinking, Arianna stepped forward once again. "Varian, he wanted you to take over the position if anything ever happened to him. In my opinion, there's nothing that could honor his memory better than if you agreed to this, if you respected his dearest wish of the past three years."

This caught Varian off-guard. He wanted nothing more than to honor and respect the memory of Marcus, and he  _did_ feel like he should take the job-- and he  _wanted_ to-- but still, it seemed kind of contradictory to him. But he trusted Arianna, more than he trusted many people. He tried to take heed to what she had to say.

And that is why he nodded-- after five minutes of silence-- and looked back up at the rulers of the kingdom of Corona. "I-- yeah. I'll take the offer. For him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The one thing that constantly went through my mind each time I did this chapter is the song "Spy Again" from the Tin Can Bros musical "Spies Are Forever." It's a good song.


	3. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we get to see the princess and her lady-in-waiting for the first time in this story... And in which they see a certain alchemist for the first time in four years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started rewriting this chapter but then lost momentum halfway through. Luckily, I have material that I like from the original chapter still, so... I kind of grafted it all together, and I'm pretty gosh-darn proud of myself.

Perky princesses and level-headed ladies-in-waiting do not mix. Sure, Rapunzel and Cassandra had their moments-- much more often than not, at least nowadays-- but still, their differences remained. Some days, it took a great deal of patience on Cass's part to just face the frenzy of palace life itself, let alone princess-sitting for a living.

Today was no exception.

Rapunzel was excitedly bouncing on the balls of her feet as she stood on a stool, letting her lady-in-waiting attempt to work on the train of her wedding dress. Cass was getting really rather impatient; her best friend's energy was too much to handle at times.  _Especially_ when she had a Rapunzel-related task to accomplish.

" _Rapunzel!"_ Cassandra exclaimed, impatiently dropping her hands into her lap, "can you  _please_ settle down?"

The brunette turned her head as best as she could--  _she's not Owl,_ Cass remarked to herself,  _I wish she would stop trying_ \-- and gave her friend a sheepish grin. "Sorry, Cass. I'm just--"

"You're just  _too excited,"_ Cass finished for her, rolling her eyes, "I  _know._ But you need to calm down. Your wedding is a week and a half away, and we aren't even done with the train, let alone started on your dress..."

Rapunzel let out an exasperated sigh, letting her arms fall limply at her side. Cass nodded curtly, taking the opportunity for what it was worth. She picked up her supplies again, preparing to start making more adjustments. No surprise, though, just as she poised the pin and began to start playing with the train, Rapunzel whirled around to face her.

"Why, though? Why do people put so much  _time_ and  _effort_ into something that's only going to be used  _once?!_ "

Cassandra snorted. "Believe me, Raps, you're gonna want to have as much effort put into this as possible. Looking back on your wedding day in ten, twenty years, you'll be thankful for all the work that was put into this."

Cass knew how people felt about these things, about love and romance and such. Granted, she had never felt such things for herself, but she'd spent enough time with Rapunzel and the other women who lived in the palace to know how they all felt about these things. And Cassandra wasn't necessarily  _planning_ on finding romance for herself.

Not anytime soon, at least.

Sure, if she fell in love, she fell in love. But she could hold her own; she wasn't about to go and actively seek out a man. If she  _did_ happen to fall in love, she'd be sure to carve out time for whoever had stolen her heart, much like she'd been able to make time for herself and her friends in the past. But, in the long run, she didn't expect to fall for anyone, let alone someone who would [miraculously] return her affections.

Now, that didn't stop her from listening to-- and, on occasion,  _enjoying_ \-- the stories her friends had, tales of love and romance.

But back to the here and now.

Rapunzel nodded sullenly, turning back to face the mirror once more. "I suppose so."

Cassandra, finally content, picked up her supplies once more and got back to work.

* * *

Cassandra put the finishing touches onto the train. "Attagirl. We'll have Ethel come in later to sew it all together. And then... I think we're good on the train."

"Just the train?" Rapunzel groaned, "seriously?"

"Would you rather wear a mismatched, horribly uneven-looking outfit on your wedding day, then? Because I think I can arrange for that."

"You're right, you're right," the princess agreed sullenly.

Cass grinned up at her best friend, already working the train off as best as she possibly could without ruining her careful handiwork. "You're free to go now."

Rapunzel jumped off the stool and began to run towards the door. Cass cleared her throat and the princess stopped in her tracks. She then caught her error and began to proceed again towards the door, this time walking. She opened it and took one look outside and let out a loud gasp, turning back into the room and shutting the door behind her.

"Okay, what is it?" Cassandra asked, train bundled up in her arms, "is something wrong?"

Raps shrugged. "I... I don't know. But I could've sworn... I could've sworn that I just saw  _Varian."_


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so originally, this one took place right after chapter two, but... I don't know, the other ladies just showed up and I went with it, you know?  
> Anyways, yeah, next chapter will feature the first interactions between Varian and Cass in this story...  
> Also, this chapter's a bit on the shorter side of things, so I deeply apologize.

"Did you hear?" Ava asked, setting her mending down, "since Marcus died, his apprentice-- you know, that troubled alchemist or whatever from Old Corona?-- took over his post. Even got a full pardon and everything!"

Cassandra nearly dropped Rapunzel's veil in shock. "Varian?!"

" _That's_ his name!" Ava shouted gleefully, bouncing her legs excitedly and nodding vigorously, " _Varian._ Thanks, Cass."

But Cass wasn't about to let the conversation slip away. "He's been given a pardon?"

Ethel hardly looked up from the train. "Last I heard, yes. But surely that's old news for  _you_ , little miss the-princess-is-my-best-friend."

The other ladies giggled as Cass flushed red with anger. She knew all too well that the other ladies of the court meant well whenever they teased her, but it still got under her skin a little bit. She always had to take a few moments in order to calm down and rationalize with them... And herself.

Taking a deep breath, she picked the veil back up. "For your information, I've been too busy helping with wedding preparations to notice-- or care about-- any rumors or gossip that might've been floating around."

Ava pouted, but Jane grinned slyly and nudged Lauren with her elbow. Lauren seemed to get the hint almost immediately, bursting into giggles as she leaned closer to Cassandra. Cass fixed the others with a stern expression, sensing that they were about to try humiliating her once again.

"So... Cass," Lauren began, feigning innocence, "when can we start planning  _your_ wedding?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "You can start planning it whenever, Lauren."

The other ladies exchanged glances, unsure of how to react. (Ava, however, was unable to contain herself and began squealing).

"But there's no guarantee that I'll ever use any of the plans that you make, even if I ever  _do_ get married."

There was a chorus of disappointed groans, but Cass didn't necessarily feel guilty about her response. It was true and honest, and, for what it was worth, it was actually a kindness to Lauren.

"And why  _wouldn't_ you get married?" Ava asked curiously, "you could really hit it off with someone and--"

"Knowing Cassandra," Ethel interjected quickly, her eyes sparkling, "she's probably scared off all of the eligible young men from this area."

Cass couldn't stand it any longer; she stood up and put the veil back on her seat before leaving the room.

* * *

Cassandra didn't know what was bugging her so much about the ladies and their teasing. She understood where Ethel was coming from, of course-- it would definitely take a special person to be able to be near her for some time-- but still... There was a big difference between acknowledging your own flaws and having someone else mention it in front of a lot of other people.

She knew that she had quite a few people who loved her and cared for her, and of course she had pride in herself, but not everyone was her father, her best friend, or herself. So, yeah, it was kind of tough to imagine herself with a guy.

As much as she wanted to try and see what would become of, well,  _trying,_ she knew that she had responsibilities, and she was an extremely independent person. She didn't need a  _man_ in her life. Besides, nobody was putting pressure on her to find a guy and settle down-- thank heavens for that!-- so why should she put the pressure on herself?

Cass was so lost in her thoughts, in fact, that she was hardly paying attention to where she was heading... Not until she found herself standing just outside of the science lab.

She missed Marcus. He'd been a good role model in her life, someone she could go to if she wanted to talk and her father wasn't around... Or if she wanted to talk  _about_ her father.

After she'd gotten back to Corona, the wedding preparations were suddenly in full swing and she hardly had an alone moment, let alone one that she spent going to visit Marcus. And then, two days later, when she'd gotten the news of his unexpected passing, she was absolutely devastated. And, apparently, this was how she handled loss: visiting way after she was originally supposed to.

She sighed, closing her eyes and resting her hand on the door. The cold, metal chill that emanated from the door was unlike any other within the castle; since it was a room that dealt with chemicals and such, it was one of only two rooms in the castle that was protected by a metal door. (The other one, of course, being the dungeon, since some precautions  _did_ have to be taken at all times).

Again, she sighed, murmuring a quiet apology to Marcus before turning to go.

But behind her, the door opened, causing her to freeze in her tracks. But what surprised her even more was the voice that followed.

"Cassandra?" Varian asked, "is that you?"


	5. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Cass and Varian have their first face-to-face encounter since the Battle of Old Corona.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a little while to get this one up and going. I've been on break, and before that, I've been a little uninspired. Junior year is a little hectic... XD

Cassandra had known that this moment was bound to come at some point or other, but she wasn't expecting it to be so  _soon_. She'd hardly even had the time to get used to the idea that Varian was  _here_... And that he was  _free_. And now, he was right behind her.

She took a deep breath, slowly turning around to face him. "Hey, Varian."

Varian gave a tight smile. "I-- hey, Cass."

Cass was taken aback. Her mind couldn't help but compare this moment to the day of the Science Exposition, when Varian had announced his arrival while she had been hanging the banner. But this wasn't the same thing, she had to remind herself, because things had changed since then... Drastically so. And it hurt to think about all that had changed since then.

"I hear you've been pardoned," she said in a short, quiet voice, "how's  _that_ been going for you?"

"Fine, for the most part, actually," he admitted with a small shrug, "granted, I'm gonna have to rebuild my reputation from the ground up. But, hey, at least I'm being given a chance here, right?"

Cass just nodded numbly. What else could she do? He was back, he was free, and he was  _right in front of her_. Seeing him again was like peeling off a scab. The pain she had tried to keep hidden away-- and she'd done a pretty good job of doing so-- was suddenly back, just as real and raw as it was four years ago.

She was face-to-face with the boy-- now a young man-- who had hurt her father, used the queen as bait, and straight-up  _used_ Rapunzel. Not to mention the fact that he had nearly killed Cassandra, too, but sometimes, she simply chose to ignore the physical pain that she had endured on that day. That would mean having to face her own mortality, and thus let her guard down in the here and now.

In fact, she had hardly thought about Varian over the past four years for that very reason.

"I'm stuck here until further notice, though," he admitted quietly, casting his gaze downward, "given a job and my freedom, but also expected to be under the watch of a guard detail."

Cassandra winced in spite of herself. " _Ooh..._ That sucks."

He shrugged. "It does, but at least I'm only being checked in on hourly. Besides, Stan and Pete aren't  _that_ bad... But enough about me, Cass. How've  _you_ been?"

"I'm doing as well as I possibly can... Erm, thank you, I suppose."

Reaching to awkwardly scratch the back of his neck, he replied, "that's... That's nice. I'm-- I'm glad to hear that."

They stood there for a few moments, just standing and staring at each other before giving a sudden start as a distant bell rang. As soon as she realized what the sound was, Cass turned and began the quick journey back to the ladies' lounge, as Eugene had so chosen to call it, all those years ago. Not even halfway back down the hall, though, she felt a hand wrap around her wrist and tug a little, successfully stopping her in her tracks. Hesitantly, she turned to face Varian, whose face registered shock.

( _Why_ he was shocked, Cassandra didn't know.  _He_ was the one who had stopped  _her_ , after all... But, then again, she didn't necessarily care to find out, either).

"What?" she asked, clearly irritated, "we've both got places to be; what in the world do you need right now?"

He nodded a little, looking almost like a young kid who'd been caught eating a cookie without permission. "Yeah, I-- I know that. But... It doesn't really matter where the king says I need to be. Not right now, at least. Cass opened her mouth to interject--  _of course_ it mattered, since any command coming from King Frederic himself was practically law, and was given with the interests and safety of his people in mind-- but Varian quickly shook his head.

"Please... Only a moment of your time. Just... Let me speak."

She still didn't trust him. And maybe she never would. But still, perhaps he deserved the chance to tell his story. If anything, it'd make for a good tale.

All the fight she had in her left, leaving her to just nod dumbly.

"Thank you," he said, relief evident in his voice, "now... Cass, I know what you think of me. I know what you think whenever you see me. And, while I don't have the time to do so now-- nor do you, as you just said-- I hope we can get a chance to sit down soon, talk over everything. I... I know it won't be easy for anyone, especially not Eugene or yourself-- considering you guys were supposed to be protecting Rapunzel when I did everything-- but... It seems pretty pointless to beat around the bush. Maybe if we talk it over-- just the four of us, or one-on-one, if you want-- we might have a chance at... At mending the past. At making things better."

Cassandra had to hold back a derisive snort or a roll of the eyes. She could tell that he was genuinely trying, and that he truly  _did_ want a chance to get to start over, but... Was he really that naive? She mentally ran through her checklist of his wrongdoings once more, noting how the simple actions of  _talking_ or  _apologizing_ just couldn't ever compensate for the fact that he had used and nearly killed multiple people, treating them all like disposable objects, props in the grand scheme of things... Or, rather,  _his_ grand scheme.

Words simply didn't have the power to heal scars such as the ones he had left behind.

Varian seemed to sense her hesitation. "Just... Consider it. I'll either be in my lab or my room. East wing-- lab's on first floor, room's on second. You should be able to tell which rooms they are."

"I--" she began, but stopped herself and tried again, "okay. Thanks. I'll... Try to make that a priority."

With that, she yanked her wrist free of his grasp and continued down the hall, leaving Varian to stand and gape.

* * *

Cassandra did not go to the ladies' lounge as she had intended to. Nor did she return to Rapunzel's room in order to work on finalizing more wedding preparations. Instead, she decided it might be best for her if she returned to her room so that she could have some alone time with just herself and her thoughts.

Once she arrived there, Cass took a seat and grabbed her leather-bound notebook and a quill and inkwell so that she could map out her thoughts on the matter.

 _We met Varian four years ago,_ she began-- it was a technique she used whenever making lists, starting at the very beginning and working up to whatever bugged her at the moment--  _he nearly ruined his village, presumably not for the first time. We saved him from his own faulty invention. Later, the same year, he showed up at the Science Expo. New invention. Asked me to be his assistant in exchange for help with chores. I agreed, but was unable to help him later. I got put on security detail. His invention-- a device that created a new element..._

_Cassandrium._

Cass sighed frustratedly, unwilling to allow herself to wallow in the past. She was bugged about something going on  _now_ , and she had to work it out. No time for the past.

_It was a hit with everyone except for St. Croix. And then St. Croix, that idiot, messed up Varian's machine, creating a vortex. We helped save Varian's butt... Again._

She took a deep breath in. There. She was halfway done now; only a few more points to go.

She didn't understand why it was so  _hard_ , though. Not just the part she was going to write, the part where sweet turned sour on the flip of a dime and nearly destroyed an entire village as well as quite a few people. But the early parts, as well. The parts that were about the times where he  _wasn't_ a monster set on revenge. Where he was just an innocent boy with a knack for inventing (even if it  _did_ almost always resort in some sort of trouble) and, as Cassandra remembered, a high respect for the princess and her boyfriend and, to a degree, herself. (Cass also remembered that, yes, he'd obviously had a crush on her back in that day, though that fact's relevance to this time and place was still unknown to her).

And, somehow, those days hurt to relive.

She never had the time to go back and remember 'the good old days,' not unless they were key to something important, like a clue to one of the mysteries that Rapunzel was  _so good_ at getting involved in, or some case that the guards had taken up... So, yes, Cassandra wasn't entirely used to it, though she was almost absolutely certain that good memories weren't supposed to bring a pain as intense as the one that she suddenly felt.

Quickly, she dipped her quill back into the ink and finished the list with the Battle of Old Corona. And then she sighed deeply.

Had this been a list of pros and cons, they'd practically be neck-and-neck. She would have near equal reason to either trust him... Or not.

"You know, whatever it is you're struggling with, a list isn't going to help you."

Cassandra turned around, lightning-fast, hand on the hilt of her sword. When she saw that it was the princess, though, she relaxed a little, though she did raise an eyebrow inquisitively as she quickly shut her notebook.

"How did you get in here?"

Rapunzel shrugged a little, perching on the edge of Cass's bed. "You left your door unlocked, so I thought it was an invitation to come in. I'm sorry if it wasn't."

"Make yourself right at home," Cassandra muttered to herself before raising her voice and speaking more clearly, "what do you want, Raps?"

The princess tilted her head to the side and swung her legs a little, clearly aiming for sweet and innocent as she replied with, "you didn't meet me in the second-floor parlor for more work on the dress, like you promised."

Cass mentally facepalmed. Of course. The entire Varian issue had seemed so pressing at the time, but she'd had places to be and things to do and  _stupid, stupid, stupid!_

"Okay, Raps," Cass snapped, deciding to channel her frustration at herself into outward authority, "there's more, isn't there? It's not just the dress you're here to talk about."

Rapunzel seemed to consider her options before just nodding. Cass sighed a little, almost afraid of what she was possibly getting herself into.

"And...?"

"Eugene and I are meeting with Varian tomorrow," the princess admitted quietly, "he said he'd like to talk over the events of four years ago with us. I think we'd all like it better if you were there with us."

Cassandra was silent.

"Cass?" Rapunzel asked, clearly noticing her friend's inner turmoil, "is everything okay?"

**_No._ **

_Of course nothing's okay! An old friend-turned-enemy is now living in the one place that was once my safe haven and I can't handle the idea, though it **must** be there for good reason, as you suggested earlier and now we're meeting with him to 'talk things over,' much to my chagrin; how am I supposed to be okay?!_

But, at the same time...

_**Yes.** _

_I've got everything completely under control, like I always do, and as long as I'm not addressed directly-- and as long as I avoid him from that moment on-- I should be fine. Until it's time for me to enact my who-knows-how-old plan to run off... We should be able to 'get along' just fine..._

"It doesn't matter," she said sharply, "let's just get to work on that dress of yours."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erm... Yeah. I was pretty proud of that one-- especially after rereading the original version of this, in which they literally just stand and stare at each other for minutes on end, which took up a good few paragraphs of writing, whereas this time, it took only a sentence or two-- until I typed it up. Then I realized how cheesy a ton of my writing is in this. (I mean, this went from being a chapter where they do nothing all the way up to them having a near-civilized conversation!)
> 
> But, hey, it's getting to the interesting points now! I'm so excited to share what I have in mind for this story with you guys later, once I get it all written down.
> 
> Also, there's pencil led stuck in the crack surrounding the backspace bar on my device, and it's pretty much wedged in there now (I tried everything: turning my device upside down and shaking a little, using another pencil to try getting it out, etc... But nothing works). So... I apologize if there's anything that's double-spaced or whatever. I'll try fixing any errors I have later.


End file.
